Improvement in sewing-machines



p UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD HownLL, on ASHTABULA, onto.'

`llVlPROVEll/l ENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of I lett-crsl Patent No. 39,517., dated June 11, 1861. p

To all whom it may concern'.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD HOWELL, of Ashtabula; in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Feeding Apparatus for Sew.- ing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a vfull and complete description of the construction of the same., reference being had to the accompanying drawings, mak

thickness of cloth, by means of a pressure-l spring will rise from thethiunest fabric to several lolds ot' thick cloth without diliculty or obstruction.

The needle-bar A is moved upI and down in the usual mode' in the form ot machine here shown, by means ofthe revolution of the wheel B (upon the shaft B') and the wrist G., which works inthe cam D, said cam being securedV to the needle-bar A.

The feed-wheel and cloth-holderE are mounted upon an axle, F, at the lower end of the rod G, whichhasa vertical movement in theplane of the needle-bar. This rod G is constantly pressed downward upon the"faceplate H of the machine by a spring, I. 'This rod G, with its attached wheel E, can be elevated and sustained at pleasure for introducing or changing the work bymeans of the'lever J moved in the direction of the arrow.

' The face o f the feed-whecl a`nd-clothholder E. is about one-fourth of an inch in thickness,

and is toothed or corrugated upon the surface, Y

so that it will take hold of the fabric upon which it rests for the purpose ot' h oth holding itin place and moving` it'forward upon the bedplate-H.. At every stroke of the needle this wheel E moves the cloth forward the length of a stitch by means of motion communicated by the pad Kin the fullowingdescribed manner:v

The pad K is attached to an arm, L, whichis moved up and down by a stud or pin, M, upon the needle-bar A. This arm L has a slot at N,

through which a screw passes into the frame of the machine, as seen at o, Fig. 1. This screw o forms the fulcruiu of the lever L. t

Upon the upper end of the arm L is a slider, P. That side toward the needle-bart'orms an inclined plane, 1?', against which the pin M presses as the needle-bar ascends, and this movement brings thefpad 'K firmly against the face of the wheel E at Q. When the -pin M in the needle-bar A reaches the projection`R-- the pad K is suddenly elevated while being closely pressed against the face of the wheell at Q. The pad K has a depression in its face, which, being filled with india-rubber or other elastic materiahinsures the movement ot' the wheel Ein the direction of the arrow and moves the'cloth the length'of a stiteh.""'.l.`he slider P can be placed higher or lower-on the arm L lby means of the set-screw S, an'dthns the length of the stitch can be regulated.

`When the needle-bar descends the pin M strikes'.

againsttheinclined planeland throws thepad' K away from the face ot the wheel E.l ,Whenever it is desired to change the work the lever J is to be elevated. as before' indicated, and this raises the wheel E from the cloth or facel v plate by,compressing the spring I.v vThe pad K may have a substitute in pawls, but I prefer the prepared' india-rubber, as it is'not liable tof slip, but'is certain and noiseless in its'action'if This improvement can -be attached to any; form of machine at an expense not exceeding j ,any other kind of feed, while this performs the double office of feeder and cloth-holder.'v `j Some oit--th'e advantages of this fee'd land holder are' as follows:- 'lhe bcdplate may besmooth and level., with an "opening only large*- enough to 'admit of the passage of the needle.

It is self-adjusting to various thickuessescf 1 goods by means ot' the lspring I. The roller -E is therefore enabled 'to pass over aseam or Vrisetoadmit a. greater thickness of cloth without ditiiculty or danger of losing a stitch. It

never becomes entangled in the bastin gthread.

lt is easily-lifted from the cloth to change the'- work; it is easily adjusted to different lengths of stitch it makes but little noise, and is not liable to getiout of repair. 4 l

It will be thus seen that the wheel E per,- forms two functions-that of feeding and that of holding the clothand that it is operated by means of the elastic pad K pressing'against the roughened surface of the wheel E, and

4which, by. its upward movement while thus The operating of the wheel E, when con-` pressetl against the wheel, insures a noiseless strueted and arranged as described, by means und exceedingly-accurate mouement of the of the elastic pad K, substantially as and'for cloth; and, further, by means of the slider P the purpose specified. f upon the needle-barL the mostmuute ad'iust- 4 t ,y meutcan be made ,as regardsthe length of the EDWD' HO ELL' Stitch. v TVitnessesf What I claim as my improvement, and desire J. BRAINERD, t0 secure by Letters Patent, is A. D. LUFKIN. 

